Young children participating in Palm Sunday services at Holy Savior Catholic Church in Ocean City hold up palm leaves to be blessed. / Grant L. Gursky photo

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OCEAN CITY — The parish hall was buzzing 20 minutes before the procession into St. Mary Star of the Sea’s Palm Sunday service, considered the most solemn of the year.

Kids were waving foam palms, adults were chatting and young girls participating in the service compared shoes, the only part of their outfits visible under their white robes. For Catholics, Palm Sunday marks the start of the most important week of the year, where they reflect on their savior’s betrayal, death and resurrection.

Many describe Palm Sunday as a sad day, contrasting sharply with joyful Easter a week later. Holy Week, which will include Masses on Palm Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Sunday, is used to slow down and look at the events in what Catholics call “the passion.”

“We take it one event at a time, because we found our salvation in those events,” Father Stanislao Esposito said.

A group of hundreds lined up to walk together into the church, taking a short route on 17th Street and then north on Coastal Highway with cars whizzing past. The line was led by a cross, followed by some cheerful acoustic guitar players and singers, brightly dressed parishioners in spring pastels and florals, Esposito and Deacon Tom Miller.

“Life is a procession,” Espositio explained later. “We don’t stand around. (It) reminds us not only that life is a journey, but it reminds us how God came into our lives.”

Entering the church, the yellow light coming from lanterns above darkened the Sunday outfits. The cheerful guitars stopped, replaced by somber organ music playing the first hymn of the service, “My God, Why Have You Abandoned Me.” The Mass was dark too, going over Jesus Christ’s betrayal, death and entombment.

The church was busy, but not at capacity, which will probably be the case on Easter. In the back of the pews, a young girl perched on her father’s shoulders to watch part of the service, during which Esposito and Miller read from the gospel detailing Judas’ betrayal and Christ’s crucifixion.

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“And so, we begin Holy Week,” Esposito concluded. “Everything we do should be done slower, more focused. This is the time we look at what God is doing for us.”

Esposito said retelling the story is a way to relive the sacrament.

“We reclaim our identity as Christians,” he said.

One of the ushers, Don O’Grince of West Ocean City, paced back and forth during the service, smiling, greeting parishioners and giving children medals for helping. For him, the week is a time to reflect on family.

“It’s the quiet time, when you really enjoy family, spiritual harmony and unity,” he said. “Easter is the same thing, but more joyous.”

Joe Magnolia, who recently moved to Berlin from the Annapolis area, agreed.

“Next week will be more uplifting,” he said. His wife, Vicki, said she appreciates this time of year to help center her life.

“It allows you to bring things back into focus,” she said. “This passion is really powerful to me in that way.”

On Easter Sunday, Esposito will get to the uplifting part of the story, Christ’s resurrection. The church is expecting a busy day — the later Easter falls in April, the more vacationers come for the service, he said.

Children are welcome during the service, and Esposito doesn’t fret over a little crying.